Page 86 of The King's Man
“No,” he rasped.
“No, what?” I whispered, startled.
“No.Be angry with me, Dee. Be irritated. Be furious… but never afraid. Never frightened. Never unsure. I am here. And I amyours.”
The words hit me square in the chest, leaving me breathless. When he kissed me I was speechless, and succumbed.
The kiss was frantic, both of us clawing, shaking. I simultaneously wanted more, pressed my body against him and shook with nerves, hesitant—wary.
I felt him in my chest—a space that had been aching and paining me at times, now full and fluttering. But I caught myself stifling it—closing around it as I would to defend my mind. Only around my heart.
I knew it would cause him pain if I were to deny the bond now, so I eased in, giving in to my body that wanted nothing more than to be skin-to-skin, deepening the kiss and letting him steal my thoughts.
But I was trembling, and clung with my fingernails. And Jann noticed.
He broke the kiss, sucking in like he needed to come up for air—but then speaking against my lips, and teasing me with lips and tongue between thoughts.
“Diadre… I will not force myself on you—”
“I want you, Jann.”
“I want you with me, not afraid—”
“It’s all moving really fast, but I’m here. I’m in.”
“Are you certain?”
In response, I pulled him back into the kiss, giving him no room to pull away and second-guess, but he was too strong.
Once more, he lifted his head, gasping like he’d been running to fast, and met my eyes—his own dark as night, but blazing.
“You need to becertain,”he gasped. “Because if I give over to this bond, it willgripme, Dee. My soul was wounded… I’m afraid it will kill me if we don’t… if I give in and it doesn’t—”
“Jann?” I whispered.
“Yes?”
“Please shut up. I told you I want you—now you’re making me wonder if you truly wantme.”
With a fierce growl that made me chuckle, he dove for my mouth and clawed at my shirt—awkward because we were tied together, so I couldn’t use two hands on his buttons while he fumbled with mine.
But the kiss got deeper and when he walked me backwards. I prayed he’d pin me against a tree and use those muscles of his to keep me up and—
I sucked in a breath, losing the kiss for a moment as the bond between us thrummed, swelling, driving my blood in my veins. I tipped my head back and Jann took the opportunity to kiss his way down my neck, leaving tingles in his wake wherever his lips met my skin.
But as I sank into that sensation and threw caution to the wind, Jann jerked his head up like he’d been slapped and stared down at me.
I looked around quickly—were we about to be interrupted? We were still hours from Jhonas and the troops, but it was possible he’d sent a scout who—”
“Yilan said you werebleeding!”Jann gasped.
I blinked. My cheeks flamed. I couldn’t believe she’d told him that!
Mortified, I dropped my face in my hands. Jann pulled my hands up, but he was being gentle and I fought him.
“It’s not likethat,”I whined, embarrassed.
“Did I hurt you, Dee?”
